Computers are generally used to control, monitor, and/or initialize manufacturing processes, such as operations in a semiconductor manufacturing plant. Various input/output (I/O) devices are used to control and monitor process flows, wafer states, and maintenance schedules. A variety of tools exist in a semiconductor manufacturing plant to complete these complicated steps from critical operations such as material etch, to material deposition, and device inspections. Most tool installations are accomplished using a display screen that is part of the graphical user interface (GUI) of a control computer containing the installation software. Installation of a semiconductor-processing tool is a time consuming procedure.
With semiconductor processing, processing conditions change over time. In many cases, changes of process data reflecting deterioration of processing characteristics cannot be detected by simply referring to the process data displayed. It is difficult to detect early stage abnormalities and characteristic deterioration of a process. Oftentimes prediction and pattern recognition offered by advanced process control (APC) is necessary.
Facility control is often performed by a number of different control systems having a variety of controllers. Some of the control systems may have man-machine interfaces such as touch screens, while others may only collect and display one process variable. The monitoring system must be able to collect data tabulated for the process control system. The data collection of the monitoring system must handle various data sets including univariate and multivariate data, various data processes including data analysis and data display, and/or various data selection capabilities including the ability to select the process variables to collect. If the process data is displayed and detected automatically, the optimum process conditions of a mass-production line can be set and controlled through statistical process control (SPC) charts. Inefficient monitoring of a facility can result in facility downtimes that add to the overall operational cost.